Standing umbrella

ABSTRACT

A standing umbrella includes a mast, an operating member, a carrier beam, a collapsible umbrella, a tension member, and two connecting struts. The operating member is mounted on and is movable along the mast between upper and lower positions. The carrier beam is pivoted to the operating member. The collapsible umbrella is pivoted to the carrier beam, and is foldable. The tension member is secured to the mast, and extends along the mast and the carrier beam to connect with the collapsible umbrella. The connecting struts are spaced apart from each other, and are pivoted to an upper end of the mast and a middle portion of the carrier beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a standing umbrella, more particularly to afoldable standing umbrella.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,069 discloses a standing umbrella that has a mast onwhich the inner end of an outwardly and inwardly movable carrier beam isguided, with the outer end of the carrier beam carrying an umbrellastick of a collapsible umbrella and with the carrier beam held by aconnecting strut linkedly arranged between the upper end of the mast andthe carrier beam. A drive mechanism shifts the inner end of the carrierbeam along the length of the mast. The mast has two guide tracks spacedfrom one another and so profiled that guide elements running therealongand carried by the inner end of the mast are held by the shape of thetracks against movement transverse to the direction in which the innerend of the carrier beam is shifted. The drive mechanism for shifting theinner end of the carrier beam and a drive mechanism for opening andclosing the umbrella are so combined with one another that they operatesimultaneously in common.

Though the aforesaid standing umbrella is foldable through operations ofthe drive mechanisms thereof, the drive mechanisms are relativelycomplicated in construction and are laborious to assemble. It isdesirable to have a simpler drive mechanism for folding and extending astanding umbrella.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide astanding umbrella that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associatedwith the prior art.

Accordingly, there is provided a standing umbrella that comprises amast, an operating member, a carrier beam, a collapsible umbrella, atension member, and a pair of opposite connecting struts. The mast hasan upper end.

The operating member is mounted movably on the mast below the upper endof the mast and is movable along the mast between upper and lowerpositions.

The carrier beam has an inner end that is pivoted to the operatingmember, an outer end that is opposite to the inner end, and a middleportion extending between the inner and outer ends. The carrier beam ismoved by the operating member from a first extended position to a firstfolded position when the operating member is moved from the upperposition to the lower position.

The collapsible umbrella includes a stick that is pivoted to the outerend of the carrier beam so as to permit hanging of the collapsibleumbrella on the outer end of the carrier beam. The collapsible umbrellais moved by the operating member through the carrier beam from a secondextended position to a second folded position when the operating memberis moved from the upper position to the lower position.

The tension member is secured to the mast, and extends along the mastand the carrier beam to connect with the collapsible umbrella so as topermit folding and extension of the collapsible umbrella.

The connecting struts are spaced apart from each other, are pivoted tothe upper end of the mast, and are pivoted to the middle portion of thecarrier beam so as to be moved by the operating member through thecarrier beam from a third extended position to a third folded positionwhen the operating member is moved from the upper position to the lowerposition. The connecting struts retain the carrier beam at the firstextended position when the connecting struts are disposed at the thirdextended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view to illustrate an extended state of thepreferred embodiment of a standing umbrella according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the preferredembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of the preferredembodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic partly sectional view to illustrate a folded stateof the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the preferred embodiment of a standingumbrella according to the present invention is shown to include a mast3, an operating member 4, a carrier beam 51, a collapsible umbrella 8, atension member 7, and a pair of opposite connecting struts 6.

The mast 3 is mounted on an umbrella base (not shown) or a groundsurface, is formed with a plurality of holes 30, and has an upper end31.

The operating member 4 is mounted movably on the mast 3 below the upperend 31 of the mast 3, and is movable along the mast 3 between upper andlower positions (see FIGS. 1 and 4). The operating member 4 includes asleeve 41 that is sleeved movably on the mast 3, and a positioning pin42 that is insertable through the sleeve 41 into a selected one of theholes 30 in the mast 3 so as to position the sleeve 41 at a desiredposition between the upper and lower positions.

The carrier beam 51 has an inner end 511 that is pivoted to theoperating member 4, an outer end 512 that is opposite to the inner end511, and a middle portion 513 extending between the inner and outer ends511, 512. The carrier beam 51 is moved by the operating member 4 from afirst extended position (see FIG. 1) to a first folded position (seeFIG. 4) when the operating member 4 is moved from the upper position tothe lower position.

The standing umbrella further comprises a linkage 52 pivotably connectedto the outer end 512 of the carrier beam 51.

The collapsible umbrella 8 includes a stick 811 that is hollow, that hasupper and lower ends, and that is pivoted to the outer end 512 of thecarrier beam 51 through pivot connection to the linkage 52 so as topermit hanging of the collapsible umbrella 8 on the outer end 512 of thecarrier beam 51. The collapsible umbrella 8 further includes a lower hub814 that is mounted movably on the lower end of the stick 811, an innerrod 812 that is mounted movably in the stick 811, that is secured to thelower hub 814, and that is telescopically movable relative to the stick811, an upper hub 813 secured to the upper end of the stick 811, aplurality of roof rods 815 connected to the upper hub 813, a pluralityof support struts 816 having inner ends connected pivotally to the lowerhub 814 and outer ends connected pivotally to the roof rods 815,respectively, and a roof layer 82 mounted on the roof rods 815. Thecollapsible umbrella 8 is moved by the operating member 4 through thecarrier beam 51 from a second extended position (see FIG. 1) to a secondfolded position (see FIG. 4) when the operating member 4 is moved fromthe upper position to the lower position.

The tension member 7 is secured to the mast 3, and extends along themast 3 and the carrier beam 51 to connect with the collapsible umbrella8. The tension member 7 extends into the stick 811 to connect with theinner rod 812 so as to permit hanging of the inner rod 812 on the outerend 512 of the carrier beam 51 and so as to permit movement of the stick811 relative to the inner rod 812 when the operating member 4 isoperated.

The connecting struts 6 are spaced apart from each other, are pivoted tothe upper end of the mast 3, and are pivoted to the middle portion 513of the carrier beam 51 so as to be moved by the operating member 4through the carrier beam 51 from a third extended position (see FIG. 1)to a third folded position (see FIG. 4) when the operating member 4 ismoved from the upper position to the lower position. The connectingstruts 6 retain the carrier beam 51 at the first extended position whenthe connecting struts 6 are disposed at the third extended position.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, when the standing umbrella is to be movedfrom the extended position as shown in FIG. 1 to the folded position asshown in FIG. 4, the positioning pin 42 of the operating member 4 isremoved from the respective hole 30, and the sleeve 41 is then sliddownward along the mast 3 from the upper position toward the lowerposition so as to draw the carrier beam 51 to move downward from thefirst extended position toward the first folded position. As aconsequence, the outer end 512 of the carrier beam 51 is pivoted towardthe mast 3, which in turn results in pivoting movement of the connectingstruts 6 toward the mast 3. When the carrier beam 51 and the connectingstruts 6 are moved to abut against an outer surface of the mast 3, thepositioning pin 42 of the operating member 4 is reinserted into acorresponding hole 30 at the lower end of the mast 3 so as to retain thesleeve 41 and hence the operating member 4 at the lower position.

During folding of the standing umbrella, the operating member 4 is moveddownwardly from the upper position to the lower position, which resultsin simultaneous pivoting and downward movements of the connecting struts6 and the carrier beam 51 toward the mast 3 and upward movement of thestick 811 away from the inner rod 812. At this time, the roof rods 815are moved upwardly together with the stick 811 relative to the inner rod812 so as to pull the outer ends of the support struts 816 to moveupwardly and pivotally relative to the inner rod 812, thereby foldingthe collapsible umbrella 8. During extension of the standing umbrella,the operating member 4 is moved upwardly from the lower position to theupper position, which results in upward and pivoting movements of thecarrier beam 51 and the connecting struts 6 and downward movement of thestick 811. At this time, the roof rods 815 are moved downwardly relativeto the inner rod 812 together with the stick 811 so as to push the outerends of the support struts 816 to move downwardly and pivotally relativeto the inner rod 812, thereby extending the collapsible umbrella 8.

In sum, the structure and operation of the standing umbrella of thisinvention is simpler as compared to the aforesaid conventional standingumbrella.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A standing umbrella comprising: a mast having an upper end; anoperating member mounted movably on said mast below said upper end ofsaid mast and movable along said mast between upper and lower positions;a carrier beam having an inner end that is pivoted to said operatingmember, an outer end that is opposite to said inner end, and a middleportion extending between said inner and outer ends, said carrier beambeing moved by said operating member from a first extended position to afirst folded position when said operating member is moved from saidupper position to said lower position; a collapsible umbrella includinga stick that is pivoted to said outer end of said carrier beam so as topermit hanging of said collapsible umbrella on said outer end of saidcarrier beam, said collapsible umbrella being moved by said operatingmember through said carrier beam from a second extended position to asecond folded position when said operating member is moved from saidupper position to said lower position; a tension member secured to saidmast and extending along said mast and said carrier beam to connect withsaid collapsible umbrella so s to permit folding and extension of saidcollapsible umbrella; and a pair of opposite connecting struts that arespaced apart from each other, that are pivoted to said upper end of saidmast, and that are pivoted to said middle portion of said carrier beamso as to be moved by said operating member through said carrier beamfrom a third extended position to a third folded position when saidoperating member is moved from said upper position to said lowerposition, said connecting struts retaining said carrier beam at saidfirst extended position when said connecting struts are disposed at saidthird extended position.
 2. The standing umbrella as claimed in claim 1,wherein said operating member includes a sleeve that is sleeved on saidmast, said inner end of said carrier beam being pivoted to said sleeve,said mast being formed with a plurality of holes, said standing umbrellafurther comprising a positioning pin that is insertable through saidsleeve into a selected one of said holes in said mast so as to positionsaid sleeve at a desired position between said upper and lowerpositions.
 3. The standing umbrella as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a linkage pivotably connected to said outer end of saidcarrier beam, said stick of said collapsible umbrella being pivotablyconnected to said linkage.
 4. The standing umbrella as claimed in claim1, wherein said carrier beam is hollow, said tension member extendinginto and through said carrier beam.
 5. The standing umbrella as claimedin claim 1, wherein said stick is hollow and has upper and lower ends,said collapsible umbrella further including a lower hub that is mountedmovably on said lower end of said stick, an inner rod that is mountedmovably in said stick, that is secured to said lower hub, and that istelescopically movable relative to said stick, an upper hub secured tosaid upper end of said stick, a plurality of roof rods connected to saidupper hub, and a plurality of support struts connected pivotally to saidlower hub and said root rods, respectively, said tension memberextending into said stick to connect with said inner rod so as to permithanging of said inner rod on said carrier beam and so as to permitmovement of said stick relative to said inner rod when said operatingmember is operated.